Sorry I haven't been around, Guys. Being that tangos are my specialty, I would have loved to have been here for this thread. As usual, it looks like DSV has faired you well. I'll be ck'g in from now on.

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The most beautiful part of the dance is often found in between the steps... and in the movement within the stillness.

At my recent comp the tango was clearly my worst dance. It seemed as if once i got a bit behind my partner things never really clicked. I suspect tango is the dance where the lady has to be the most active - most prepared to put in energy and dance her part as soon as led.

At my recent comp the tango was clearly my worst dance. It seemed as if once i got a bit behind my partner things never really clicked. I suspect tango is the dance where the lady has to be the most active - most prepared to put in energy and dance her part as soon as led.

Thanks, ED. I did miss it here.

Funny you should say that about tango (my red). When danced well, it is actually much easier than the other dances b/c of the placing of the movement rather than rolling into each. Perhaps we all can discuss it sometime.

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The most beautiful part of the dance is often found in between the steps... and in the movement within the stillness.

Of all the pieces of our latest tango routine, the telespin has proven to give us the most trouble. We approach it out of a five step. Any one with ideas on improving the timing and shaping would be of great value to me

I typically dance this 1,2 and 3,4; 5. I teach the lady, however, to think 1,2 and 3,4 and. Without knowing further exactly what/which piece you wish to discuss, try thinking of the telespin as simply a double double reverse spin.

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The most beautiful part of the dance is often found in between the steps... and in the movement within the stillness.

As I wrote, without knowing further exactly what/which piece you wish to discuss, try thinking of the telespin as simply a double double reverse spin. Lead the first part as you would the Dbl Rvs. It will be easier, actually, as you haven't the resulting sway that occurs in waltz/fox. Set the lady off balance by lowering while rotating to the left. Dance past her, and maintaining an opened left side (care not to leave her), allow her to dance past you into the crusada (cross). It's the second one (spin part) that will be a wee difficult b/c, though it is danced almost in the same way, there is a level change (a rise/lower in the body --not the feet). This will occur as you dance count 4 (counting 1,2,and 3,4) between the lady's feet. Very important to keep the rotation of the topline going throughout.

Difficult to teach on these boards, but hope it helps.

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The most beautiful part of the dance is often found in between the steps... and in the movement within the stillness.

very helpful tango dancer. it is the leading of this step that I am trying to improve .we come into the telespin from a five step. in promenade I am unnable to set up my partners follow so that she actually leads it slightly ahead of me

It might be an idea to go back and go over the history of the telespin and relive the accident that created the step. I have found doing that this often solves the problem of how to give the right indication and get in the right positions.

Have you learned a) throwaway-oversway in tango? really snazzy and snappy.

We've just been through the same process - our technique is, I think, pretty good but our routines (where's the gag emoticon, will have to do)[Hey, what happened to upgrading our emoticon library anyway fellow admin? - maybe one of the mods knows of a great library we can tap into...]

I would suggest the reason you are having difficulty in dancing a Telespin from a five step is because you can't. A telespin is a figure commence in tango position. A Five Step is a figure ending in PP. You need something like a promenade link or a closed promenade at least to get you into tango position.

It is a classic case of not knowing precedes and follows. If you want to investigate this further, read Geoffrey's Hearns advance technique book in which telespins are explained.